If Kourtney Kardashian Drinks A Shot Of Olive Oil Daily, Should You? New Research May Hold The Answer
Kourtney Kardashian documents the ritual on Poosh: a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil, taken on an empty stomach each morning, tied to gut health and digestion. Jennifer Lopez has credited healthy fats including olive oil as part of her skin and longevity routine. Gwyneth Paltrow has long championed it through Goop.
But beyond the celebrity endorsements, does a daily spoonful of EVOO actually deliver?
Why researchers are taking olive oil seriously
The science here is more compelling than you might expect, and the threshold for seeing benefits is refreshingly low.
A Harvard study published in JAMA Network Open tracked more than 92,000 adults over 28 years and found that consuming more than 7 grams of olive oil daily — just over half a tablespoon — was linked to a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death, regardless of overall diet quality.
A 2025 systematic review in Nutrients found that a Mediterranean diet rich in EVOO lowers the risk of illnesses tied to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and weakened immunity, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Plus, A 2026 narrative review published in Medicina, synthesizing over 25 years of research, also concluded that EVOO and the Mediterranean diet are consistently associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline.
The compounds doing most of the work are polyphenols, specifically hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal, which function as anti-inflammatory antioxidants. The European Food Safety Authority confirms they help protect blood lipids from oxidative damage.
What a daily olive oil shot actually can’t do
The “shot” ritual itself has no distinct research behind it. Benefits are tied to EVOO consumption broadly, not to the delivery method. Taking it on an empty stomach versus alongside food makes no meaningful difference in how your body processes it, and some people find straight shots cause nausea or acid reflux.
The thinnest claims are around skin and energy. If you’re seeing those promises attached to olive oil content, it’s worth a healthy dose of skepticism.
How to choose an olive oil worth buying
Quality matters more than most labels let on. Look for cold-pressed, extra virgin oils with a harvest date on the bottle — not just an expiration date. Fresher oil holds more active polyphenols. Dark glass bottles protect the oil from light degradation, which breaks down the compounds responsible for those benefits. Origin certifications from Italy, Greece or Spain are also a reliable quality signal.
Simple ways to make olive oil a daily habit
You don’t need a shot glass. The Harvard threshold was just over half a tablespoon per day, which is easy to hit with any of these:
- Drizzle over toast, oatmeal or yogurt in the morning
- Use it as the base for a quick salad dressing
- Stir into soup or pasta after cooking
- Blend a tablespoon into a smoothie
Consistency matters far more than how you take it. A quality EVOO, used daily, is one of the most research-backed, low-effort additions you can make for long-term health (shot glass optional).
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
